Baby Talk
by Jaggie 107
Summary: Just a little 'something' I had on file to fill in while I get other stories updated!


Title : Baby Talk

Author : Jaggie 107

Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.

Rating : As per rating applied through FanFiction

Spoilers : Set in series 10, no episode in particular, just a little fluff on becoming a parent!

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**Baby Talk**

Harriet and Mac were seated on a bench in the park, watching AJ and Jimmy playing together in the sand pit. The twins were asleep in their stroller, with Harriet gently rocking the handle as she talked with Mac.

"So, Bud tells me you and Harm have been spatting again. What gives, Colonel?"

"Spatting?" Mac turned an incredulous look on Harriet, and waited for a response.

"Spatting," repeated Harriet, nodding her head. "It means having a spat; an argument."

"I know what 'spat' means. I've just never heard of 'spatting' before."

"Maybe it's one of my words then, but regardless, what are you two fighting about? I thought you were into wedding plans, and suchlike."

"We are. And we're not 'spatting', or whatever else you might call it. It's good natured bantering, like we used to have," Mac defended herself. When Harriet was on a mission, nothing could stop her until she reached her intended target and got the result she wanted.

"Oh, really," Harriet's response was full of cynicism, and Mac groaned in defeat.

"Okay, we've been a bit rocky recently, and I don't know why, I just know that most of it is my fault. Harm's so _good_ to me, Harriet, I know that…and I don't know how to stop myself sniping at him. I'm afraid…" Mac admitted, glad that she could do so with her dearest friend.

"Afraid of what, Mac?"

"Afraid of being so horrible to him that he leaves me."

"Harm would never do that!" Harriet retorted immediately, and then patted Mac's hand gently, to soften the effect of her words. "Mac, Harm loves you, and you love him. If you're feeling jittery about wedding plans, put them on hold for a while, but tell him why. Don't let him think that you're miserable with him."

"Oh, I'm not! Miserable, that is. Being with Harm finally is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened in my life. God knows, after all the time it's taken us, I'm not going to throw that happiness away! I just…I don't know what's happening to _me _!"

"Such as?" Harriet watched Mac's face, and as soon as Mac began talking, Harriet began doing sums in her head.

"Such as I'm bloating. I'm hungry. I'm not hungry. I'm eating salads! Voluntarily!"

That made Harriet laugh, and once she brought herself under control with a glare from Mac, she tried her hardest to keep a straight face as she spoke.

"Have you considered that you might be pregnant?"

"No! I mean…I can't be…we…I…I haven't started any IVF treatment yet."

"That doesn't mean anything, Mac! I'm sorry, that came out wrong. What I mean is, some couples spend thousands on IVF, only to find they've gotten pregnant naturally anyway!"

"I know," Mac nodded her head, speaking softly. "I've read about that."

"So you know it's possible. Have you…and Harm, um?" Harriet paused, and Mac watched her fight with herself about how to say the words she wanted.

"Spit it out, Harriet. I know you've got something to say."

"Okay. Are you and Harm using protection when you…you know…" Harriet, for all her usual forthrightness when talking about sex, was uncomfortable talking about physical intimacy between her two friends, especially now they were officially in a relationship.

Mac shook her head, and Harriet wasn't sure whether it signalled 'no, they didn't use protection' or 'no, they didn't make love'. Mac clarified.

"We don't use anything, as there's so little chance of my getting pregnant without IVF. Besides," Mac paused, not really sure why she added that last word. Was it really too much to tell Harriet that Harm was such an insatiable lover? That the times they had made love since first declaring they were _in_ love, Harm had been so intent on pleasing Mac that neither of them had paid a thought to protection initially, and once they did think about it, they had decided against it. They were intending to try for a family, and IVF had been offered as one solution, with adoption as a last resort. That Mac might become pregnant naturally was not an option, at least as far as the doctors she had visited were concerned. Harm had insisted on not just a second opinion, but a third and a fourth! With his usual charm he had insisted that in the meantime, while they waited for a date for IVF to start, they could at least have fun practicing! Besides, although Mac had been in his apartment many times over the years, it was a whole new experience to be there as his lover, and they had intended on christening the usual places, as well as a few 'unusual' ones!

"Besides?" Harriet echoed, bringing Mac back from her musings.

"Harm and I are enjoying being together, and as we want to try for a family, we're not using anything and just waiting for the doctor to call to start the IVF."

"And in the meantime, you're having fun?" Harriet's intuition was scary, Mac decided, but nodded anyway.

"At least it was, until I started feeling so crabby! I usually end up apologizing to Harm by the end of the day, just because I've been such a grouch," Mac admitted, and Harriet smiled in sympathy.

"When we get back to the house there's something you can do for me."

"What's that?" asked Mac, and Harriet tilted her head, a smile on her face.

"A pregnancy test."

"What!" Mac's voice rose, and both of Harriet's older children turned to look before returning to their games in the sand. Mac looked aghast at Harriet.

"It wouldn't hurt, would it? At least that way, if you're not, you can go ask the doctor what else could be happening?"

"I suppose you're right. How come you've got a pregnancy test? Are you still planning on more kids?"

"God, no!" Harriet's response was immediate and heartfelt, and Mac couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. Harriet grinned. "It's not likely any more, anyway. Bud went…you know…to the doctor himself."

"Oh?" Mac murmured, then as she realized what Harriet was talking about, a louder 'Oh!'

"When did he go?"

"Last month," Harriet told her. "Before my six week check up."

"I never knew. He didn't take time off, that I was aware of."

"Not a full day, no. He was absent in the morning, and then I dropped him back at JAG after lunch."

"That was the day…" Mac began, and then she blushed as she remembered the day in question, and Harriet smiled at her reaction.

"What is it, Mac?"

"My goodness, I just thought he was having trouble with his leg! That's why he was…walking _funny!"_

Harriet creased up, laughing at Mac's expression.

"If you repeat a word of this, Lieutenant," Mac muttered in mock-threat, and Harriet pretended to zip her mouth shut and throw away the key, but she still couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up. Mac gave in herself and laughed, still picturing Bud walking slowly to his office, and the look of pained acceptance in his eyes. Mac knew, secretly, that she would never want to put Harm through that experience. Still, they hadn't even got to the start of having children, let alone thinking about the other end of the scale!

After they had returned from the park, Harriet had produced the pregnancy test, and with the twins down to sleep and the older boys playing in the den, Mac had done the requisite sample, and now she sat on Harriet's couch waiting for a little white stick to show a blue line in a window. That blue line would change her life, and Harm's, for ever…

That blue line was there, exactly where Harriet expected it to be, and where Mac was amazed to find it.

"But…the doctors…they said I…I wouldn't be able to conceive…without…"

"Those doctors, my dear Mac, have no concept of what a certain Naval Commander and a feisty Marine are capable of when they put their mind to something."

"_How do I tell Harm?" _Mac's voice was barely above a whisper, and Harriet smiled reassuringly.

"You tell him the truth, girl. In seven months, or less, he's going to be a very proud daddy!"

Mac nodded, her mind already producing a girl with her looks and Harm's brains.

"Mac, we're back!" Harm's voice could be heard through the house as Bud called out to Harriet also. Mac gave Harriet a frozen look, but Harriet shook her head, moving to distract Bud before he got settled on the couch to discuss after-game tactics. He and Harm had been to see the season playoffs, and they usually crashed on the couch until dinner was called.

"Bud? Honey, I need a hand with the kids. Right now, please?"

"I'd better go check…" Bud murmured, getting to his feet again, and Mac gave him a grateful smile as she took his place on the couch, turning to look at an amused Harm. When her expression changed as she faced him, Harm began to wonder what was going on.

"Mac? Sweetheart, is something wrong?"

"No…I…how do you like your babies…I mean burgers…"

"Babies? Mac, you said 'babies'. Are you trying to tell me something?" Harm's voice had dropped a level, and Mac felt the tone of his voice wash over her. Opening her eyes she nodded at him, and then just blurted out the words.

"We're pregnant!"

"Pregnant? We're having a baby?" Harm could only repeat parrot fashion, and it was Mac's turn to smile, leaning forward to kiss Harm.

"I did a test here, and I need to confirm it, but the home tests are pretty accurate, so Harriet says…and it would account for how I've been feeling lately."

"_Sarah…" _Harm leaned back in as Mac pulled away to talk, and then she was folded into his arms in a strong hug. "I love you. Oh. My. God! Mac, we're going to be parents!"

"You're okay with this?"

"Okay? I'm ecstatic!"

"We didn't exactly plan for this, though. I mean…we talked about the IVF, and getting married…"

"Sweetheart, I would do anything for us to get pregnant, you know that. If we've made it on our own, though, it's even more special. Besides…" _That_ _word again, thought Mac, and smiled._ Harm continued, oblivious for the moment as he gave his own reasoning for their good news. "We were hardly careful," Harm murmured, burying his nose in the space between Mac's shoulder and her neck where her most vulnerable spot lay – something he had discovered their first real 'night' together. Mac could feel her body already beginning to puddle, and she realized they needed to get back to Harm's apartment before either one of them embarrassed themselves. Harriet would understand, Mac knew, and Harriet would also make Bud understand, somehow!

"Harm, let's go home," murmured Mac, and without question he rose to his feet and pulled her up and into his arms again.

"We ought to tell Harriet we're going…" Harm responded, not questioning the fact that they were leaving without having had the barbecue they had planned with their friends. Mac nodded, slipping out of his arms for a moment as she went in search of Harriet, who was just coming inside from the back yard.

"You're going?" Harriet smiled as she asked, knowing full well why they were leaving earlier than planned. Without answering Mac nodded, kissed Harriet's cheek, and walked with her friend to the open front door, where Harm stood waiting.

"Don't worry. I'll explain to Bud. And Harm…" Harriet grinned as Harm turned to look at her. Stepping up to reach, Harriet kissed Harm's cheek warmly. "Congratulations! You both deserve this. Come round tomorrow instead, we can do the barbecue then."

"Thanks, Harriet…for everything!" Mac hugged the younger woman once more and then, hand in hand with Harm, walked down the front path, heading for Harm's Corvette.

The End


End file.
